Masquerade
by Nanashi Wanderer
Summary: AU: He was raised within a different life. Brought up as a knight, a servant and a friend for the youngest. Now, as all the daughters reach the necessary age, the politics and warfare begins anew. In a world defined by the cultures of the different races, a small spark may soon start an open blaze. Rated M for subject matter.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own R+V. **

**Prologue**

Tears streamed down Akasha Bloodriver's face as she cradled the bleeding form of a four-year-old boy in her arms. His family had been attacked by a flock of master-less vampires and they had suffered dearly for it. The fact that the boy was still breathing was an amazing feat, even to the usually unflappable vampire queen. Staring at the brunette, she cooed softly to him, trying to keep him calm and from unleashing any cries or tears. She knew she could deal with it, she had a three-year-old daughter after all, but it was not the time or place for it. He needed to not give them away. She didn't know whether his attackers were still around and didn't want to find out.

"Hush now little one," she whispered to him. "Hush now little one, return to your slumber."

Her voice seemed to soothe the infant and return him to his sleep. Relieved that he would no longer be a target for the possible remnants of the force, she leaned in, nipping him on the neck ever so gently, before she slipped away. Clutching him tightly, she made her way back to the waiting car. Her driver watched her closely as she approached, in response to the question in his eyes; she lifted her index finger to her lips, indicating the need for silence.

Opening the door for her, he ushered her inside before shutting it and heading to the driver's seat. Starting up the car, he pulled away from the location, making sure that no one noticed their presence at the scene.

"Ma'am, you know that he'll be reported missing. They'll be sending the police out to find him," the driver offered solemnly.

"I know," Akasha replied, ignoring the worry in his voice. "However, I'm taking him all the way back with me."

Nodding in understanding, the driver stopped his questions and allowed his mistress to refocus on the boy beside her. Doing just that, Akasha lightly brushed a few strands of chocolate brown hair out of the boy's face. She knew that Issa would accept him. He'd be allowed to grow up within a family. Letting that thought soothe her guilt for not arriving sooner, the vampire queen watched the city pass by her as they proceeded to the Shuzen manor.

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"Milady, what is this?" one of the maids inquired as Akasha entered the manor, the sleeping boy held tightly to her chest. "You've brought a human here?"

A glare from the vampire queen's emerald eyes stopped the flow of questions and left the maid shaking. This was not something she should be so questioning of. Clearly, she had overstepped her boundaries. Bowing in fear and apology, the maid swiftly scurried away, determined not to face the wrath of her mistress.

Alone, Akasha preceded the rest of the way to Issa's quarters unhindered. And if anyone had even thought of hindering her, the narrowing of her eyes and ferocious glare were more than enough to scare them off. Reaching the tall doors that identified her lover's private quarters, she knocked softly, hoping that Gyokuro had not joined him for a night of pleasure.

She scowled as she thought on that. The minx had seduced him and got herself impregnated, leading to the birth of Issa's youngest child, Kokoa, who was (for some sick reason) exactly a year younger than her Moka. Though, Akasha could never hate the darling little girl.

Her desire to be with her father had shocked Issa initially; all the others had gravitated to their mothers; however, he took to Kokoa like no other. The thought of seeing him playing with the red haired vampire child made Akasha's trepidation melt away. If she could just explain to Issa why she brought the child, he would accept him.

"Akasha, you don't have to wait out here like that. I always have time for you," the voice of the aforementioned man called to the vampire queen, her eyes widening in shock as she noticed him standing before her.

His elegant figure enveloped her vision as she looked up to meet his eyes. The scraggly facial hair and long dark locks that always drew Akasha's attention were nothing compared to his dark crimson eyes. His eyes always seemed to reveal his emotions, at least before his tryst with Gyokuro, however, nowadays they were dark and clouded, very clouded. The only time they seemed to return to their expressive nature was when he was with Kokoa.

Pushing those thoughts from her mind, Akasha returned her focus directly to Issa. She needed to speak with him immediately about the boy. However, her nervousness about Gyokuro being in the room kept her from speaking. Shaking her head in frustration, she felt Issa tentatively place a hand on her shoulder.

"Akasha is everything alright?" he asked her, the worried tone emanating from him catching the vampire queen.

"Is Gyokuro with you?" she finally managed to ask.

Issa looked at her with confusion dancing in his crimson eyes. The question was clearly not one that he had been expecting, and Akasha began to fear the worst.

"No, she's not with me. I just finally managed to get Kokoa into bed actually," he answered her. "What's wrong Akasha? What do you need?"

A breath that she hadn't realized that she was holding escaped from Akasha as soon as she heard that. Excitement coursing through her, she stepped past the still confused Issa and walked into his quarters. As soon as she reached his desk, she found the chair that she loved to lounge in and sat down.

"I have something very important I need to speak with you about," she said quickly, watching as Issa shut and locked his door behind him.

Before anymore words could be said, the bundle in her arms began to cry. Startling both of the vampires, Akasha started to hum soothingly to the boy she was holding. As she continued to attempt to soothe the boy, she didn't notice that Issa had walked over to her side.

"I'm assuming there's a story here," he mumbled, scratching his beard as he looked down at the child.

"You've got to let me keep him here," Akasha burst out. "His family was killed by one of the master-less. He would've died if I hadn't found him."

"He was bit, wasn't he?" Issa inquired as he turned to go settle into his chair.

"Thankfully, he wasn't," the vampire queen sighed. "I managed to arrive and chase off the vampire before he was bit. However, he sustained numerous injuries from the fire that was lit in his home."

As she carefully removed the coverings, Issa let out a gasp. She knew what his reaction would be. Despite his tough demeanor, children were a soft spot for him. In fact, protecting a group of children during the final days of the campaign against Alucard had nearly cost him his life.

"How is he still breathing?" Issa demanded after he regained his composure. "That should have killed him."

He paused for a moment, his face showing the conclusion he reached.

"Akasha, you didn't?" he inquired, the vampire queen smiling sadly.

"I gave him a minor dose; enough to keep him alive at least," she said solemnly. "It will wash out of his system in two days. It is nothing for you to worry about Issa."

"It is something for me to worry about. You and I both know that a human coming into contact with Shinso blood could cause irreversible damage," Issa countered.

Akasha gave him a sheepish smile. She had forgotten the risk that she had placed the boy in when she saved him. However, the fact that Issa hadn't requested the boy be removed gave her hope. Clutching him tighter, she focused her eyes on Issa.

"So, since I've injected him with some of my blood I can keep him here and look after him?" she inquired.

"Not at all," Issa responded instantly. "There's no way that I'll allow a human boy to grow up here under your supervision."

Akasha was ready to put up a fight. Her cheeks puffing out as she prepared to lay down her best pout. However, before she could put her actions into play, Issa spoke up, leaving her stunned and speechless.

"He'll be raised by me."

The answer was not what Akasha expected. It was not what she expected, and it showed on her face. She could feel her mouth dangling open in a very unladylike fashion.

"You'll raise him?" she inquired, trying to make sure that she had heard correctly.

"Yes Akasha, I'll raise him," Issa replied. "If he's to stay here, he'll need to learn all that there is about our culture and what he's been brought into. And, I want to keep an eye on him. You injecting him with some of your blood was a dangerous move. One that I hope doesn't come back to bite us."

Akasha nodded in understanding. She knew that Issa probably had more to his reasoning, but the answer he had given her was satisfactory for the time being. Looking him directly in the eyes, she prepared to ask one last question. It was a question that would end up defining the boy's life.

"You're going to make him her knight, aren't you?"

**End Prologue**

**A/N: Okay, so here is the prologue for my newest Rosario + Vampire fic. I'm quite excited to be sharing this one as well. After all, this is going to be a big undertaking. This fic will be taking place in an alternate universe where the cultures of the different youkai races are far more pronounced and the Hyakki Yagyo from Japanese folklore is a very prevalent ideal. **

**At the same time, this fic will attempt to make some interesting changes to the relationships amongst the characters. Not all of them will be liked (by many people), but all of them are exciting for me to write about. So, until next time, I hope you enjoy. **

**Nanashi**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to R+V. **

**Chapter 1**

"It's amazing!" Kokoa Shuzen gasped out, her emerald eyes roving over the sight before her.

Having just stepped off of the bus for Youkai Academy, she could barely contain her excitement. She was finally going to be attending the same school as her beloved Onee-sama and her best friend. Grinning widely at the thought, the teen found it hard to contain her excitement. However, her years of training as one of the heirs to the Shuzen family helped her keep her emotions under control. Letting herself bask in the sight of the campus for a while longer, the redhead felt a surge of hope course through her. She was hopeful that her relationship with her sister would be able to be repaired in this time away from home. It had been so long since she had last seen her and so she was especially excited over the prospect.

Suddenly realizing that she was being watched by many of the other new students, Kokoa let out a shocked squeak. She was one of four heiresses to the Shuzen household and these past few moments did not paint her in a light that her family would be pleased with. Forcing a calm and collected mask over her nervous and embarrassed features, the young vampire gripped her bag tightly and stalked off past the crowd of students.

Stepping onto the wooded path, she started her way towards the main school building. The building she knew would house the opening ceremonies, as well as any activities that any of the second years and higher would be participating in. Keeping up her calm and collected mask, Kokoa found a quiet spot for her to stop before letting it fall.

"Why do I have to be so stuck up?" she questioned the tree-blocked sky. "I'm excited. Is that so wrong?"

Her question was left unanswered. Not that she expected to receive one, but it still bothered her. She wished that there could be a different answer than the one her mother had drilled into her growing up.

"_Kokoa, always remember that you are a Shuzen. We stand above the other youkai. As paragons of vampire society others bow to us and worship us. Never mess that up." _

Those words were some of the only wisdom that her mother ever imparted on her. The redhead spent a lot of time clinging to her father. He always seemed so lonely, but she could manage to pull smiles out of him. Her eagerness to become stronger and worthy of her family's status clearly pleased him. It also allowed her to spend a lot of time with her personal knight; a young boy who had been brought into the family thirteen years earlier.

Drawing away from her thoughts, Kokoa could hear the sounds of students walking along the path that she had recently left and felt panic shoot through her. Pulling out her pocket watch, a going away gift from her father, she took a look at the time. Squeaking once again, the vampire shoved it back into her skirt's pocket and ran back up the path. If she didn't move quickly, she was going to be late.

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"Tsukune-kun, settle down. Your pacing will wear a hole in the ground," the soft voice of Mizore Shirayuki chastised.

The brunette male standing near her didn't seem to hear any of her warning though. His mind was caught up in other thoughts. Thoughts that he wanted to share, but knew that he wouldn't be able to eloquently state.

"Tsukune-kun, are you listening to me?" Mizore asked him after two more cycles of his pacing.

The boy still didn't respond, sparking a nearly unnoticeable twitch from the violet haired girl. Entering into a known blind spot of the teen, she followed behind him, matching his pace. She had only done this to him twice before in the year that they had known each other and each time, it was justified by his refusal to listen.

"Tsukune-kun," she growled out as she placed an icy clawed hand on his shoulder.

This simple action elicited the reaction she wanted as the brunette let out a surprised squeak and leaped out of his skin. Eyes wide in panic, he tried to place himself into an inconspicuously stoic position, but found that difficult to do with Mizore's pale eyes boring into him.

"Is there something I can help you with?" he asked, unaware of the reasoning behind why she would startle him like that.

"You've been pacing for the past hour. Is there a reason for that?"

Tsukune smiled as he thought about what the day was.

"My Lady Kokoa is coming today. I haven't seen her in a year, so I'm nervous to see how she's changed."

"So that's why you're dressed up so fancy. I thought you were finally accepting my proposal of marriage," Mizore teased.

Tsukune blushed furiously as he adjusted his clothing. Wearing a dark blue jacket and black slacks, the teen looked very clean and professional, despite his blushing face. Throw in his long hair, nicely tied back in a ponytail, and the family crest upon his back and his looks would appeal to many women.

However, she had learned very soon after she befriended the brunette that he was unattainable; at least for the time being. He was a servant first and foremost and he belonged to the Shuzen family. Due to this, his mind was focused almost entirely on the upcoming arrival of the vampire he served.

"So, are you going to introduce me to her?" she asked Tsukune, as he ignored her previous comment.

Tsukune seemed to take a few moments to think about it. He seemed to be debating the idea, determining whether it was worth it. Letting out a sigh, he knew that it would be useless to hide her from Kokoa. Mizore would purposefully mess with him if he neglected to introduce her. And the end result would not be pretty for him. As the years had gone on past his introduction to life within in the Shuzen family, Kokoa had proven to have a very strong jealousy streak. As well as being very possessive. Two traits he knew that would come into play if he didn't immediately introduce his yuki-onna friend to her.

"Alright," he finally answered. "I'll introduce you to her. Just give me a few hours before showing up."

Mizore allowed a mischievous smile to spread across her face, prompting a sigh from Tsukune. There was no way she was going to wait. The temptation to see Kokoa would prove too much for her. That and messing with him was her favorite past time (or so he believed).

With the mischievous smile still on her face, Mizore walked away from Tsukune, only looking back momentarily to call out to him.

"Don't be too rough on her then!"

Tsukune's scarlet face switched Mizore's smile into a smirk as she walked off, leaving the blushing boy behind.

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Kokoa's heart was pounding. She had just finished the opening ceremony and was awaiting her chance to receive her assigned class. Everything had been going smoothly so far and she was hoping that it would continue; giving her a chance to meet up with her Onee-sama and her knight as soon as possible.

"Shuzen-sama," a chipper teacher called out. "Shuzen-sama, I've got your schedule here!"

Turning to look at the owner of the voice, Kokoa was bowled over by an over excited Neko.

"Hello there my lady," the teacher said once she allowed Kokoa a moment to recover. "My name is Shizuka Nekonome. I was requested by your father to make sure that you got settled in at Yokai Academy."

Kokoa looked at the woman quizzically. She hadn't heard anything about her father trusting anyone outside of Tsukune to help her acclimate. It was suspicious, but not something she was going to delve too far into at this point in time.

"You'll be under the care of Kagome-sensei during your time at Yokai Academy," Nekonome said. "She'll be your homeroom teacher."

Kokoa nodded in understanding. Taking the slip of paper that was being offered to her; she clutched it tightly and bowed politely to the Neko. Standing back up, she tried to get out of the room before she could be forced into further conversation with the teacher.

Getting out into the halls of the school, she finally took a look at the paper she had been given. Reading over the information, Kokoa took a deep breath and prepared to head to the classroom. Wandering through the halls, she hoped that she would experience an encounter with either her sister or Tsukune, but knew not to put too much hope in it.

The school grounds were massive and the chance that two second years would be wandering around the main building three days before they were needed to was next to nil. Letting out a sigh, the young vampire composed herself before heading through the door to her classroom.

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Tsukune stood patiently outside of Kokoa's classroom. He had already been given the information on the teacher she had received for homeroom. It was information that he needed; a prerequisite of being her knight. For that reason, he decided that surprising her once her class was over would be the best thing for him to do.

Sensing that the students were starting to move about in the classroom, Tsukune braced himself for Kokoa's arrival. After all, being separated for a year, he didn't know what the young vampire would now look like. When he had last seen her, she had been a small, yet feisty, girl.

Standing to the side, he watched the crowd of people filtering out of the room. His chocolate brown eyes scoured for the familiar reddish orange hair. Catching sight of it, he allowed a small smile to spread across his face. Stepping back and out of the way, he wondered if Kokoa would notice him, or be too caught up in her thoughts.

"Tsu…Tsukune-kun?" her voice called out to him, causing his smile to widen.

Running out of the crowd, the vampire nearly leapt into his open arms. Embracing her, Tsukune nuzzled his head into her hair, assuring her that he was really there. She pushed him away swiftly though, clearly shifting her mindset back to the "proper lady" that she was raised to be.

"Kokoa-hime, it's a pleasure to see you," Tsukune said with a bow. "It's been a year and you've grown wonderfully."

His words caused a bright scarlet blush to spread across her face. He knew that she understood his meaning. The fact that it was literal and not a lie meant to placate her. Lying had been something he swore he would never do to her. It was something that Issa Shuzen had helped him to work on, especially when topics that she wasn't yet meant to know were brought up.

"It's wonderful to see you Tsukune-kun," Kokoa finally said, having reacquired her poise.

Smiling at her, Tsukune could easily see how the last year of lessons had helped her. When he had been preparing to leave, Issa had confided in him that Kokoa's manner classes were going to be increased. She could be a very respectful girl, a true example of vampiric nobility. However, she did have an issue with keeping her actions in check. Excitement would tend to override her education.

"Hime, have you been to your dorm room yet? If not, I can accompany you there, before taking you on a tour of the school," he told her, another bow accentuating his statement.

Kokoa's excitement lit up her face. Grabbing his hand, she began to lead him away from the gathering crowds. Looking back at the gossiping students, Tsukune gave them a cold smile, stopping their conversations.

Allowing his lady to lead him, they began their way to her dorms.

**End Chapter 1**

**A/N: Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed the first full chapter to Masquerade. It took a long time to decide on how I wanted to take the story. I truly enjoy my version of Issa Shuzen. For that reason, I nearly went with a purely chronological order to the story. However, upon further reflection, I found that the story was becoming too much about him. So, I returned to this time skip idea. In the end, it works better, but that does not mean my Issa content has been destroyed. Oh no, that will be coming up far in the future of this fic. Anyways, I hope all of you wonderful readers enjoyed this chapter and are excited to see more in the future. It shouldn't take too long to write more chapters now that I've got my basis set. So expect to see more frequent updates. On a different note, I have to say that there's a lot that's going to occur in the next few chapters. It's all meant to be set up, but it will be vital set up for the story ahead. I hope you all look forward to it. And please leave a review if it suits you. Until next time, **

**Nanashi Wanderer**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to R+V. **

**Chapter 2**

Tsukune Aono sat quietly on the periphery of the student council room. Letting a yawn escape his lips, he tried to keep himself focused on the early morning meeting. After spending the entire afternoon and evening with Kokoa, he had been forced to endure a bombardment of questions from his Yuki-Onna friend. Adding those two events together, he didn't find himself in bed until well past midnight.

Yawning again, Tsukune could see the head of the council, Kazuki Sakata, stifling a chuckle. If there could only be one thing that the two students could agree on, it would be the fact that mornings sucked. Having both grown up in nocturnal cultures, the two teens struggled to acclimate to the chairman's desire to have morning meetings of the student council.

"Sakata-san, are you even paying attention?" a feminine voice hissed from in front of Tsukune.

"Leave him alone Moka," Tsukune said exasperatedly.

Kokoa's older sister and his classmate; Moka was one of his more tenuous friendships. Though the two grew up together, he had found that she had slowly become insufferable after her mother's disappearance. Granted, despite all of that, she refused to allow him to refer to her with any honorifics. A request he knew would come back to bite him eventually.

"Tsukune-kun, you know as well as I do that these meetings are important. All the new students need a good leader and if Sakata-san would pay more attention…"

Moka's thoughts trailed off as she began to rant in hushed tones. Kazuki just gave Tsukune an appreciative smile, before returning his attention to the meeting.

"And, with the rising numbers of students each year, we need to take more precautions to keep the riff-raff away from the nobility," Kuyou's authoritative voice boomed through the room.

Shifting his attention to the Yoko, Tsukune found himself glowering. Early in his first year, the head of the School Defense Force had decided it would be for everyone's benefit to eliminate him. If it wasn't for the timely intervention of Nobushige Muto, one of the lower ranked members of the SDF, the two of them could've ended up killing one another. At least, that's what Tsukune hoped would have happened.

"Kuyou-san, you need to sit back down. Your opinions are valid, but standing like that while speaking… It makes them seem far more radical than they are," Kazuki said, trying to placate the other yokai.

With a grumble, Kuyou returned to his seat, allowing Kazuki to begin the next portion of the meeting.

"Alright, now that we've heard Kuyou-san's opinion on the matter, I'd like to invite Akashiya-san, our vice president, to present her solutions."

Moka shifted her papers, before turning her scarlet gaze onto each and every member of the room. Tsukune was thankful to be standing behind both her and Kazuki at this time. If he wasn't, he could almost guarantee what he would see in the vampiress' eyes. Shuddering at the thought, he decided to just remain as a shadow against the wall and hope that the meeting ended sooner, rather than later.

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The incessant tapping of a pencil against her desk was the only thing soothing Kokoa at this point in the day. She was determined to focus on her schoolwork, but with the prospect of meeting with her beloved Onee-sama hanging over her, the girl could barely keep herself on topic.

"Shuzen-san is this lesson boring you?" her homeroom teacher, Ririko Kagome, asked.

Snapping back to attention, Kokoa sheepishly grinned. She knew that her teacher's wouldn't be too hard on her. After all, it was only the second day at the school. However, it would be a bad idea to gain such a negative reputation so early in her High School career.

"Sensei, the lesson is not boring. I will make sure that I pay full attention to everything you say," Kokoa recited gracefully.

She knew that it would be vital to stay on her teacher's good sides. If anything, it would allow her to stay away from the infamous detentions that the school was known for.

"Good, I wouldn't want to have to put you through my special tutoring," her teacher said with a sultry grin.

Shivering, Kokoa hoped that her teacher wasn't insinuating what she thought she was. Pushing that thought from her mind, she refocused on the lesson, not willing to see what could come from her teacher's special tutoring. Passing by the rest of the half-day in this manner, the young vampiress almost yelped in joy when the bell rang.

Free from her classroom duties, she had to forcibly stroll through the doorway out into the halls. Despite everything that was screaming at her to get out, she was still an aristocrat and she had to act like one. It was a difficult lifestyle to live, but the perks were too much for her to pass up. Grinning absentmindedly, she didn't notice the petite girl walking towards her.

"Excuse me, are you Kokoa Shuzen?" the girl asked sweetly, drawing Kokoa's attention to the other girl.

Cyan hair, deep purple eyes and a bust line that caused Kokoa to bristle in jealousy were what she noticed. Forgetting about the question that had been posed to her, the vampiress shifted her attention down to her own chest, comparing the sizes in a melancholy fashion.

"Excuse me, are you Kokoa Shuzen?" the girl asked again, her sweet tone disappearing.

"Uh, yes, that's me."

Kokoa's answer was pathetic and she knew it. However, her mind had been preoccupied only moments before, so she hoped the sleight wouldn't be noticed.

"Well then, I'd like to invite you to join me at lunch," the girl said, her sweet tone returning.

Shocked by the invite, Kokoa readily accepted. She didn't have many friends growing up. Living in such a secluded part of the country, she really only interacted with Tsukune and her sisters. So, the prospect of making a new friend at school was far more appealing than she would ever openly admit to.

"Of course, I'd be honored to…" she replied.

"Kurumu, Kurumu Kurono," the other girl answered, a calming smile upon her face.

"Where will we be eating then?" Kokoa asked, thankful for her insinuated question being answered.

"Just follow me please," Kurumu beckoned for Kokoa to follow.

Falling in step behind the other girl, the vampiress could barely contain her excitement at having set down the path of making a new friend.

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Stretching his arms as he walked out of the meeting room, Tsukune found it hard to not relish in the bright sunlight that now washed over his body. Being cooped up in that room since six in the morning, he was pleased to finally be done with the pre-semester meetings. Free of the responsibilities that they entailed, he started down the hallway to go and find himself some food.

Though they served breakfast for all members of the council, his position as a guard had left him without a chance to grab something to snack on. Even Kazuki, who usually provided him with something during one of the intermissions, was unable to spare any food this morning. Because of that, Tsukune was extremely hungry.

"You're late," a feminine voice stated from behind Tsukune.

"Nice to see you too Mizore," he replied, not missing a beat as he headed to the cafeteria.

"I thought you said that the meeting would be done at noon. You're forty-five minutes late."

The indignation in her voice was common. Mizore didn't have very many friends, and those that she did have were in very tentative friendships with her. Only Tsukune would spend time with her without issue. She was charming and fun to be around. Something that Tsukune appreciated after his first four disastrous months at the school. Because of that, whenever he couldn't make their meetings on time, she would attempt to startle him in some way. It was a minor form of revenge that allowed her a sense of self satisfaction.

"The meeting went longer. Kuyou decided that he wanted to wreak havoc and challenge every idea that Moka, Kazuki or Ayase pitched."

A small humming from Mizore alerted Tsukune to the fact that this topic was no longer relevant.

"While that may be true, there's something that I've needed to tell you," she said once he was done speaking.

"And what is that?" Tsukune inquired.

"Kurono-san's with your lady," she said, her deadpan voice resonating within Tsukune.

Panicking, Tsukune picked up his speed, his hunger forgotten as he raced out of the council building. Entering the streets of the academy grounds, he started to run towards the main building. He couldn't allow those two to be alone together.

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Kokoa was enjoying her lunch with Kurumu. The girl was pleasant company, though she attracted far too much attention from the other boys.

'It must be her boobs,' Kokoa thought sorrowfully.

That was the only issue she was currently experiencing. Compared to this girl, Kokoa didn't really offer anything of worth. She was small (in every aspect) and not very curvy. Unlike each of her older sisters, she hadn't really grown much larger since she hit puberty.

"Kokoa-chan, are you alright?" Kurumu asked, drawing Kokoa out of her thoughts.

"Just a little overwhelmed," she answered honestly.

Kurumu seemed to catch the meaning as she smiled sweetly at the girl.

"This body can be just as much a curse you know," she said. "It can attract all the wrong attention. Or, it can just not attract the attention that I want."

As she said that, Kokoa heard footsteps swiftly approaching her from behind.

"Kurono-san, what are you doing?" Tsukune's voice boomed behind her.

Turning to look at her knight, Kokoa could see his chocolate eyes blazing. It confused her, what issue could he have with Kurumu? Pushing that aside, she felt his hand fall onto her shoulder, squeezing lightly. Relishing the contact, she nearly forgot about what she had just seen.

"I'm just having a pleasant lunch with Kokoa-chan here. Is there something wrong with that Aono?" Kurumu inquired in return.

If Kokoa had been watching Tsukune, she would have seen him flush in embarrassment for a moment (a rare sight nowadays), before recovering his hard edge.

"No, there's not," Tsukune conceded reluctantly. "However, I want you to know that if anything happens to her, you won't like the end results."

"Don't be such a worry wart Aono. I'm not going to hurt her. Just be a friend," Kurumu said sweetly.

Kokoa felt herself flush at that statement. She had wished that Kurumu would be her friend, but was too nervous to ask. This confirmation made her feel all warm inside. To have made a friend on her second day at school was something special, especially to her.

"I'll be watching you Kurono-san, remember that," Tsukune bit out before releasing Kokoa's shoulder.

"And I'll be watching you," Kurumu said in a wistful voice, barely a whisper.

Kokoa heard it though, and it spawned her sift look between the girl and her knight. Tsukune still remained in a stern posture, his eyes cold as they watched Kurumu. The girl, however, held a longing in her purple eyes. As if she was watching something that she wanted, but couldn't get.

Confused by this, the young vampiress pushed it to the back of her mind. Right now it wasn't worth it, instead, she needed to defend her friend. Standing up, she stared straight at Tsukune, a glare appearing on her features.

"Now listen to me, you leave Kurumu-san alone. She's my friend and if I find out that you're harassing her, I will invoke the seal," she threatened.

Tsukune looked as if he had been struck when she said that. She knew that it was crossing a line, but she needed him to know how serious she was. The seal was a last resort tool that her mother had forced her father to place on Tsukune. It was the only thing that allowed him to stay within the family.

Her father had promised Tsukune never to invoke it, but she had not been able to give the same promise. At the time she was furious. The idea of taking control of him for even the briefest of moments infuriated her. However, at this moment, she was glad that she hadn't given the promise. Now, he knew that the threat was real. He was to leave her friend alone, or else he'd suffer the consequences.

Backing away from her, Tsukune bowed rigidly before leaving. A flash of violet followed behind him, leaving Kokoa in confusion. However, she had achieved her purpose. Turning around, she found a grateful Kurumu still in her seat.

"Thank you Kokoa-chan, you don't know how much that truly means to me," she said with a tearful grin.

Kokoa smiled back at her friend.

"It was nothing. I'm not about to let my new friend be threatened. Not even by Tsukune-kun."

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Mizore braced herself for the storm of emotions that Tsukune would have. Being told off by Kokoa over Kurumu must have stung him deeply. She'd never seen him recoil like he did when she spoke back. Sitting patiently on the wall separating the male and female dormitories, she watched him blow off steam.

Whenever something really threw Tsukune off, he would head back to the yard of the dormitories and practice. What he would practice would depend on the day, but usually he would be using one of his numerous Bo Staffs. Going through the formations, it would allow him to process whatever he was feeling.

Mizore enjoyed watching him. Though he never stripped down, beyond the removal of his shoes, socks and whatever jacket he was wearing. He was still a very appealing and attractive sight. As he finished his most recent set of formations, he stopped to catch his breath.

Deciding that she needed to get him talking, Mizore slinked off of the wall and landed softly in the yard. Moving quietly up to him, she grabbed his shoulder and turned him to her.

"Speak," she commanded.

It was rare for her to be forceful, but this situation was one where she determined it necessary. If she left Tsukune to just ruminate on what happened, he would enter another depression. She didn't know if she could handle another one from him.

"I…" he began. "I just don't know what happened there. What has Kurono done to my lady to get her to side with her?"

Mizore remained silent as he began to spill his feelings. The one thing that she wanted to know, though, never got broached. What was this 'seal' that had been mentioned. Was Tsukune bound under something? Was it dangerous for him? She desperately wanted this information.

"And then there's the seal. How could she… I thought she would never invoke it."

As Tsukune continued speaking, Mizore finally realized that she was getting somewhere. He was now delving into the topic of the seal. Listening intently, her interest soon built into a cold rage. She couldn't believe that this was hanging over him. The fact that Kokoa threatened him with it was unforgiveable. She was going to make that girl's life hell, in the worst way possible, the way that Tsukune couldn't prevent.

Once he finished his ranting, Tsukune gave her a relieved smile. "Thanks for listening. You don't know how much I value you Mizore-chan."

Those words solidified all of her plans; Mizore was going to do everything possible to torment Kokoa for her threat. Tsukune deserved better than that being thrown at him.

**End Chapter 2**

**A/N: And here is chapter 2 of Masquerade. Some answers and a lot more questions. I'm pleased to see the positive response to this fic so far and hope that it continues as this story progresses. I've got big plans for this fic, and some of those plans are beginning here in this chapter. As things progress, you'll get answers, but whether they lead to good things for the characters or not, well, that would be telling. Anyways, leave a review if you feel like it. Until next time, **

**Nanashi Wanderer**

**P.S. I've got a very serious question… Would anyone like me to write a Tsukune x Ruby fic? I've had ideas for some (none that would come to fruition until after Masquerade), but haven't been one hundred percent sure about doing them. If you review, please let me know what you think on that topic. **


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to R+V.**

**Special Thanks to Touhoufanatic for being the beta for my work. If you're a fan of Zero no Tsukaima or Madoka, he's got some great fics going. **

**Chapter 3**

"Kokoa-chan, are you alright?" a confused Kurumu questioned her friend.

Sighing, the redheaded vampiress lay her head down upon the table. It had been a very long three days since her confrontation with Tsukune over Kurumu. She hadn't really spoken with him since then, but she knew that he had been watching her. At least, his Yuki-Onna friend had been.

She shuddered at the thought of the icy woman. Something about her made Kokoa uncomfortable. Actually, a lot about her made the vampiress uncomfortable. Pushing that thought aside, Kokoa focused back on her real issue; her sister.

As a great surprise to her, Kokoa had caught sight of her beloved older sister numerous times over the past three days. However, every time that she had tried to go and confront her, she found that her sister would easily outmaneuver her and disappear.

"Onee-sama, why," a muffled groan escaped her mouth, catching Kurumu's attention.

"Onee-sama… You have an older sister?" the succubus questioned, catching Kokoa's comment.

"Yes, and she's been here for a year already."

Kurumu's eyes widened as she heard that. There was only one girl who could meet that description; Moka Akashiya. Bristling at the thought, Kurumu forced herself to prevent her reaction from becoming too noticeable. She didn't want to offend her new friend.

"So, you haven't been able to see her?" Kurumu asked.

"Yes…" Kokoa moaned out. "She seems to be avoiding me. Why would she do that?"

Kurumu had to bite her tongue so she didn't respond. From what she knew of the older vampiress, she seemed to be very jealous of Kokoa's position as Tsukune's master. Though, at the time, she didn't know that Kokoa was Tsukune's master.

"Maybe she's just not ready to see you," Kurumu offered.

The idea had crossed Kokoa's mind. However, she had decided against it. Moka would never be unprepared for something like that. She would be primed and ready for any occurrence. Much like a proper vampire heiress would. Her older sister had to be avoiding her.

'Maybe I can get Tsukune's help,' she thought.

Shaking her head, the young vampiress resolved to do it herself. She did not need Tsukune's assistance with everything she did. Especially when speaking with someone from her own family. Standing up suddenly, she barely registered Kurumu's startled appearance.

"I'm going to go track down my sister and force her to greet me!" Kokoa declared loudly, not realizing that she had suddenly drawn a lot more attention than she intended too.

"Kokoa-chan, you may want to calm down. People are beginning to stare," the succubus warned as she took in the stares of the other students.

Immediately clamming up, Kokoa returned to her seat and attempted to be as inconspicuous as possible. A pink blush began to spread across her cheeks as she felt a wave of embarrassment come over her. She still wanted to go and meet with her sister; however, maybe she'd do it a bit more subtly.

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"Tsukune-kun, we need to speak," the voice of Kazuki Sakata followed the brunette's retreating form.

Knowing exactly what the Student Council President wanted to talk about, the younger teen decided to just keep walking.

"Hey, get back here!"

Picking up his pace, Tsukune hoped that he would be able to get out of the building and into an open area soon. He didn't want to be cornered by Kazuki. Being indoors immediately put him at a disadvantage. Unable to push himself to his fullest, Tsukune could easily be overtaken by the president.

"Aha! I've got you now," Kazuki cheered, startling Tsukune out of his thoughts.

Finding himself at the end of a corridor, the teen swore under his breath. He had approached one of the locked exits. These doors were magically bound, only unlocking when they were needed. It was an impressive bit of sealing magic on the chairman's part. However, right now it wasn't doing anything to benefit Tsukune.

"What is it Kazuki-kun?" he finally asked, sighing as turned to face the other teen.

"What's this I hear about you and Kurono-san getting into another row? Did you really pick another fight with the succubus?"

These were the exact questions that Tsukune was hoping to avoid. Discussing what had happened was not something he wanted to do with the president. Despite their close friendship, they both understood their positions at the school. He was the leader of the student council and had a job to report and to supervise any major clashes that arose. Tsukune was just a servant for one of the Shuzen household's four heirs.

"It wasn't as bad as you've probably heard," Tsukune began, hoping to talk his way out of this issue.

"So, you didn't threaten her?" Kazuki asked a tired look upon his face.

"Okay, so it's exactly how you've heard, but I've already been reprimanded properly by Kokoa-hime," Tsukune replied quickly.

"I've heard that as well. Sorry Tsukune-kun, you know the protocol though. If someone comes to me with a complaint about actions taken by any student, I have to set an investigation up. Be glad Kuyou didn't hear about this one. It could've been disastrous for you."

At the mention of the Yoko, the two teens shuddered. The very thought of how gleeful he'd be at leading another, this time completely legal, investigation into Tsukune's actions was terrifying.

"And I greatly appreciate the fact that it is you Kazuki-kun. Just don't worry; Kokoa-hime has made it explicitly clear what would happen to me if I were to do anything to Kurono."

The frustrated sigh that followed his statement was not missed by the president. However, out of respect for his younger friend, he decided to leave it alone. There was more going on with this situation, but it was not his place to interfere, as much as he wanted to look out for his little brother-figure.

"Is there anything else, or am I free to leave?" Tsukune asked, breaking Kazuki out of his thoughts.

"No, that's everything; at least, for now. If this year is anything like last year, I'm going to be expecting to have a few more conversations like this with you." This last comment was said with a mischievous grin.

Noticing the grin, Tsukune felt one spread over his own face. Giving a respectful bow, he excused himself from Kazuki's presence and walked towards an unlocked exit. There were a couple of errands he needed to run before the daylight ran out.

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Coming to a stop in front of the female Student Council dorms, Kokoa steeled herself for the encounter she was going to set up. Due to her position as Vice-President of the Yokai Academy Student Council, Moka was granted a lavish dorm room within the council compound; one of thirteen districts of the massive school grounds.

Stepping up to the doorway, Kokoa put on a brave face. She wasn't sure what, if any, resistance she would face inside the lobby. Her own dorm mother was a terrifying young woman. At least, her bondage fetish made her so. Pushing that thought out of her mind, she pushed open the door to the dorm.

"Hello, and what can I do for you today?" a friendly male voice asked.

Placing their attention on the speaker, the two girls let out a gasp of surprise as they took in his appearance. He looked very feminine; with a long dark ponytail and a soft face, it would be very easy to confuse him for the fairer sex. His voice was a dead giveaway though. It was deep enough to paint him as male, even if his features screamed otherwise.

"I'm looking for my sister."

Kokoa's blunt statement elicited a chuckle from the teen. Grinning widely, and inadvertently causing a gasp to leave Kurumu's lips, he bowed before her.

"Ah, you're the Vice-President's sister, are you not?" he asked, receiving a nod from Kokoa. "Well, she's currently out at the moment, said something about making sure that you couldn't find her. However, for aniki's master, I'd be more than willing to let you know that she headed to the shopping district."

Winking at the two of them, he waved farewell, moving towards the door that the girls had come from. Once he had left, the one thought that had crossed between the two girls' minds became voiced.

"How does he know Tsukune-kun?"

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Standing outside the girl's dorms, Tsukune tried to make himself look as inconspicuous as possible. While he was a normal sight for many of the second and third year girls, after all Mizore lived in these dorms, the first years could prove troublesome. And trouble was not what he needed right now, even though it would probably get him his meeting with the dorm mother sooner, rather than later.

'Where is she?' he pondered, glancing at his watch.

He had already been waiting here for twenty minutes. She was already ten minutes late and pushing it. If it wasn't for the fact that she had claimed that this meeting was urgent, he probably would've left. Mizore hadn't made her presence known to him for the past two days and when she did things like that, he began to worry. It would be a better usage of his time to go looking for her.

"Oh, thank you for waiting Tsukune-chan. I'm so sorry for making you wait!" a female voice called out to him. "I had to deal with a little catfight… literally."

Grinning, he knew he should've expected something like that. She would never make him wait too long purposefully. Unless he had pissed her off. Something he was sure he hadn't done yet, this year.

"No worries Ruby-san. Now what was it that was so urgent?" he inquired.

"Oh, that," she began sheepishly. "I just wanted to see you."

Her scarlet blush caused Tsukune to chuckle. Ruby was a strange one, he had quickly learned that, but he enjoyed being around her all the same. The witch was one of his closest friends. She was also one of the only people who he could discuss his limited memories of human culture with. Having spent the early years of her life in human culture herself, she was able to identify with his sudden change in upbringing.

"Well, you've seen me, is there anything else I can do for you?" he winked at her as he spoke, causing her blush to darken.

Laughing, the witch shook her head, but did place a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"I've met your master. She's a fiery one, isn't she?"

"That's putting it nicely," Tsukune replied, his face seemingly tearing apart as he grinned. "I'm assuming you put her in her place though?"

Blushing again, Ruby tried to discreetly look away. This was all the confirmation Tsukune needed though, as his grin turned into a wicked smirk.

"She caught you, didn't she?" he inquired.

Looking away innocently, Ruby tried to hide her ever darkening blush, but knew that it would prove futile. Tsukune had a certain way of knowing how she was reacting. Neither of them knew how – at least, Tsukune wasn't saying anything about how – and yet, it always helped to perk her up; knowing that Tsukune could read her that well.

In this case though, she wished he couldn't. Her bondage fantasies were not something that she needed the entire academy knowing about. However, that didn't stop her from indulging in self-pleasure when the desire arose. It was one of these moments that the young vampiress had stumbled upon.

"Yes," she finally managed to squeak out, earning a chuckle from Tsukune.

"Well, that would definitely have been a shock for her. Other than that, she's not proving too difficult to deal with, is she?"

"Not at all, she's a real sweetheart, especially while she's with Kurono-san," Ruby answered.

The mere mention on the succubus however, sparked a dark look to cross Tsukune's eyes. He tried to push it aside before it could be noticed, yet Ruby caught sight of it before it could be hidden.

"Don't go trying to ruin anything here Tsukune-kun. I know that you and Kurono-san don't get along; especially after what she tried to do to Shirayuki-san. However, she's getting along wonderfully with your master."

Tsukune scowled fiercely at the thought.

"She's planning something. That's why I keep such an eye on her. Kurono nearly took Mizore-chan last year. I'm not going allow her to attempt to take Kokoa-hime as well."

Ruby let out an elongated sigh. She knew it was her fault for mentioning the succubus, but there was nothing she could do about it now. However, she did know one thing that could take him off of the topic.

"Has Akashiya-san spoken with her sister yet?" she asked, attempting to change the conversation.

An even darker look spread over Tsukune's face, making it clear what the answer would be.

"No, she hasn't. Despite the fact that the contest for inheritance doesn't start until Kokoa is out of high school, she has decided that it would be for the best that they don't interact," Tsukune responded. "I knew that the rivalry would start during the next year, but I didn't expect her to take it so far, so soon."

Ruby's eyes widened at the revelation. It was a known fact that vampire families held competitions between their daughters for the right to be the new family head. She also knew that the competition reached its fiercest as soon as the youngest was of age; which in this case was seventeen-years-old.

"So, do you think your master will be able to get a hold of her sister? Or do you advise against it?"

"I've been in talks with Moka for the past couple of days. She's resistant, but I think I'm close to breaking her down," offered Tsukune.

Ruby frowned as she listened to what he said. Moka was a very pushy young woman. Taking a moment to compose her thoughts, the witch decided upon what to ask.

"What do you have to do for her?"

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Crimson eyes watched as Kokoa and the succubus wandered out of the dormitory. Frustration painted the vampiress' face as she loudly lamented some event or another. From her position, Moka could only assume what her younger sister was talking about.

"Soon enough, sister dear, you'll be able to see that your knight in shining armour isn't as pure as you think."

End Chapter 3

**A/N: And that is Chapter 3. I've spent a lot of time working on this chapter. As this entire fic is a passion project for me (I've been planning it out for three years now), I want to make sure everything flows as perfectly as possible. With all the setup needed for the meat of the story, these chapters are pivotal. I hope that you readers enjoy them. And if you have any questions or comments, leave a review or PM me. I'm more than willing to chat about my stories. Anyways, until next time, **

**Nanashi Wanderer**

**P.S. A big thanks to everyone who has followed this fic and put it in their favorites. Those help me remember that there's more interest than a review count may suggest. And that makes me more encouraged to write more for those followers.**


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